NFC in Plumbing and Drainlaying
This course develops your ability to install and maintain water and drainage systems using sound setting-out and joining methods.
About the course
This course develops your ability to install and maintain water and drainage systems using sound setting-out and joining methods. Learning combines technical study with practical tasks relevant to Southern African organisations and communities.
What you'll learn
Interpret a simple plumbing or drainage layout.
Carry out supervised installation and repair tasks using suitable materials.
Test completed work and record defects and corrective action.
Requirements
Prepare to follow practical instructions, use basic measurements and keep a simple record of your work. The facilitator will introduce the tools and safe working procedures used in each activity. Check the provider's published admission requirements before enrolment.
Course content
The programme combines supporting studies, specialist subjects and practical integration. Each subject below includes its learning focus, outcomes, practice and assessment.
3 learning stages 8 subjects
1Stage 1: Foundation knowledge and safe practice2 subjects
2Stage 2: Technical subjects and guided application4 subjects
3Stage 3: Enterprise and integrated proficiency2 subjects
Subjects in this programme
The programme combines supporting studies, specialist subjects and practical integration. Each subject below includes its learning focus, outcomes, practice and assessment.
8 subjects are listed below with a short description of each. The Subject descriptions tab contains the learning outcomes, topics, practical tasks and assessments.
Stage 1: Foundation knowledge and safe practice
- Drainage Drawings and Basic Measurements. Build foundation skills in drainage drawings and basic measurements. Guided examples introduce drainage symbols and plans and sections, followed by practice with lengths and areas and levels. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use scale and measurement records to review the result.
- Safe Work and Site Preparation. Build foundation skills in safe work and site preparation. Guided examples introduce site hazards and protective equipment, followed by practice with work boundaries and tool inspection. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use material handling and housekeeping to review the result.
Stage 2: Technical subjects and guided application
- Drainage Materials and Jointing. Build foundation skills in drainage materials and jointing. Guided examples introduce pipe materials and fittings, followed by practice with compatibility and joint preparation. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use supervised jointing and joint inspection to review the result.
- Drain Laying and Falls. Build foundation skills in drain laying and falls. Guided examples introduce drain routes and gradient concepts, followed by practice with bedding and alignment. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use supervised laying and level checks to review the result.
- Sanitary Fittings and Rural Sanitation. Build foundation skills in sanitary fittings and rural sanitation. Guided examples introduce sanitary appliances and water seals, followed by practice with ventilation principles and rural sanitation. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use hygiene and maintenance access to review the result.
- Drainage Inspection and Maintenance. Build foundation skills in drainage inspection and maintenance. Guided examples introduce inspection records and blockage indicators, followed by practice with leak observations and routine care. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use reporting faults and maintenance plans to review the result.
Stage 3: Enterprise and integrated proficiency
- Small Enterprise Records and Customer Communication. Study the development of a viable small enterprise from a defined customer need. Guided practice centres on a small-enterprise plan and test record, drawing on customer problems and enterprise opportunities and products, services and value propositions. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
- Drainage Skills Proficiency. Demonstrate the practical skills developed across the programme. Tasks integrate drainage drawings and basic measurements, safe work and site preparation within an agreed work brief. You will prepare resources, carry out the authorised task and check the result. Your evidence should show consistent performance, accurate records and an explanation of decisions within your learner role.
Assessment and practical learning
- Suggested learning checks: explain a procedure, complete a short task and respond to practical questions.
- Suggested practical assessment: demonstrate the skill under supervision and keep a record of completed work.
- Use assessor feedback to correct errors and repeat a task until the agreed quality criteria are met.
Practical application
Complete a supervised plumbing or drainage training installation, with a layout drawing, materials list and inspection record.
Subject descriptions
Select a subject to read its learning outcomes, main topics, practical task and assessment.
Stage 1: Foundation knowledge and safe practice
Drainage Drawings and Basic Measurements
Build foundation skills in drainage drawings and basic measurements. Guided examples introduce drainage symbols and plans and sections, followed by practice with lengths and areas and levels. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use scale and measurement records to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain drainage symbols and plans and sections using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving lengths and areas and levels.
- Review your work using scale and measurement records.
Main topics
- Drainage symbols
- Plans and sections
- Lengths and areas
- Levels
- Scale
- Measurement records
Practical task
Complete a guided drainage drawings and basic measurements task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Safe Work and Site Preparation
Build foundation skills in safe work and site preparation. Guided examples introduce site hazards and protective equipment, followed by practice with work boundaries and tool inspection. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use material handling and housekeeping to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain site hazards and protective equipment using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving work boundaries and tool inspection.
- Review your work using material handling and housekeeping.
Main topics
- Site hazards
- Protective equipment
- Work boundaries
- Tool inspection
- Material handling
- Housekeeping
Practical task
Complete a guided safe work and site preparation task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Stage 2: Technical subjects and guided application
Drainage Materials and Jointing
Build foundation skills in drainage materials and jointing. Guided examples introduce pipe materials and fittings, followed by practice with compatibility and joint preparation. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use supervised jointing and joint inspection to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain pipe materials and fittings using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving compatibility and joint preparation.
- Review your work using supervised jointing and joint inspection.
Main topics
- Pipe materials
- Fittings
- Compatibility
- Joint preparation
- Supervised jointing
- Joint inspection
Practical task
Complete a guided drainage materials and jointing task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Drain Laying and Falls
Build foundation skills in drain laying and falls. Guided examples introduce drain routes and gradient concepts, followed by practice with bedding and alignment. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use supervised laying and level checks to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain drain routes and gradient concepts using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving bedding and alignment.
- Review your work using supervised laying and level checks.
Main topics
- Drain routes
- Gradient concepts
- Bedding
- Alignment
- Supervised laying
- Level checks
Practical task
Complete a guided drain laying and falls task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Sanitary Fittings and Rural Sanitation
Build foundation skills in sanitary fittings and rural sanitation. Guided examples introduce sanitary appliances and water seals, followed by practice with ventilation principles and rural sanitation. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use hygiene and maintenance access to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain sanitary appliances and water seals using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving ventilation principles and rural sanitation.
- Review your work using hygiene and maintenance access.
Main topics
- Sanitary appliances
- Water seals
- Ventilation principles
- Rural sanitation
- Hygiene
- Maintenance access
Practical task
Complete a guided sanitary fittings and rural sanitation task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Drainage Inspection and Maintenance
Build foundation skills in drainage inspection and maintenance. Guided examples introduce inspection records and blockage indicators, followed by practice with leak observations and routine care. You will complete a supervised task, explain your choices and use reporting faults and maintenance plans to review the result.
Learning outcomes
- Explain inspection records and blockage indicators using a practical example.
- Complete a guided task involving leak observations and routine care.
- Review your work using reporting faults and maintenance plans.
Main topics
- Inspection records
- Blockage indicators
- Leak observations
- Routine care
- Reporting faults
- Maintenance plans
Practical task
Complete a guided drainage inspection and maintenance task using a classroom simulation, supplied records or an authorised supervised work area. Record the preparation, work completed and quality checks.
Assessment
Assessment uses the completed task, a short knowledge check and your explanation of the result. Correct errors after feedback and demonstrate the revised work.
Stage 3: Enterprise and integrated proficiency
Small Enterprise Records and Customer Communication
Study the development of a viable small enterprise from a defined customer need. Guided practice centres on a small-enterprise plan and test record, drawing on customer problems and enterprise opportunities and products, services and value propositions. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Learning outcomes
- Define a customer need and a practical enterprise response.
- Estimate resources, costs and cash requirements.
- Revise a business proposal using evidence from a small market test.
Main topics
- Customer problems and enterprise opportunities
- Products, services and value propositions
- Startup resources and operating costs
- Pricing, cash flow and basic records
- Market testing and customer feedback
- Business risks, responsibilities and growth choices
Practical task
For Small Enterprise Records and Customer Communication, prepare a small-enterprise plan and test record in a plumbing and drainlaying setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Use guided tasks with feedback and a further attempt after corrections.
Drainage Skills Proficiency
Demonstrate the practical skills developed across the programme. Tasks integrate drainage drawings and basic measurements, safe work and site preparation within an agreed work brief. You will prepare resources, carry out the authorised task and check the result. Your evidence should show consistent performance, accurate records and an explanation of decisions within your learner role.
Learning outcomes
- Plan and complete an integrated task to agreed criteria.
- Demonstrate safe and consistent practical performance.
- Explain the result and correct identified weaknesses.
Main topics
- Interpreting an integrated work brief
- Preparing tools, information and resources
- Demonstrating the required technical skills
- Checking output against agreed criteria
- Responding to faults and assessor feedback
- Presenting evidence and explaining decisions
Practical task
Complete a supervised plumbing or drainage training installation, with a layout drawing, materials list and inspection record.
Assessment
Direct observation, the completed output, a quality-check record and oral questions provide the evidence for this subject.
Instructors
